By Dr Rahim Said
There comes a time in life when you stop collecting things and start hoping that the things you have collected over a lifetime will amount to something—friends, memories, experiences and, occasionally, a story worth telling.
Dato’ Syed Ahmad Idid has one such story.
He is a former judge whose experience on the Malaysian bench took an extraordinary turn when he chose to speak out. His story, his convictions and the personal price he paid are now documented in a book titled Unfinished Judgment: A Judge, a Judiciary and the Price of Speaking the Truth.
I had the privilege of writing this book. It was not simply an exercise in putting someone’s life story between two covers. It was an opportunity to document an episode in our judicial history that deserves to be remembered, discussed, and perhaps debated.
After all, judges are expected to deliver judgments. They are not necessarily expected to become the subject of one!
But Syed Ahmad Idid’s story raises questions that remain relevant today. What happens when a person in an institution decides that conscience must take precedence over convenience? How much does it cost to speak the truth? And can an institution command public confidence if those who raise uncomfortable questions are made to pay a personal price?
These are not small questions. Nor are they questions that should disappear simply because the events happened years ago.
The book will be published by Millennia Comms in December 2026. But I am writing about something rather more immediate.
Syed Ahmad Idid is now in his late eighties. At this stage of his life, he is not looking to climb another career ladder, acquire another title or compete for another appointment. He has lived his professional life, and like many elderly Malaysians, he has practical considerations about making ends meet.
So here is an opportunity for those who know him, worked with him, studied alongside him or simply believe in standing by an old friend.
He is hoping to sell the first 1,000 copies of his book.
And he has come up with a rather ingenious idea. Instead of expecting one person to buy a thousand books, he is inviting friends and colleagues to become book ambassadors.
The proposal is simple: buy at least ten copies at RM100 each and distribute them among friends, colleagues, business associates or anyone who appreciates a good story about courage, conscience and the institutions that govern us.
That is RM1,000 per ambassador. Ten books. Ten readers. Ten opportunities to keep an important story alive.
If 100 friends each take 10 copies, the first 1,000 books are sold. No elaborate marketing campaign, expensive advertising or celebrity endorsements required. Just 100 people willing to help a friend.
We spend RM1,000 rather casually on dinners, celebrations, gadgets and things we probably cannot remember buying six months later. Here is an opportunity to spend the same amount on something that has a little more substance.
And unlike some investments, this one comes with ten books that you can actually give away!
I am not suggesting that everyone must buy ten copies. Nobody should feel obliged to do so. But if you can afford it, and if you know Syed Ahmad Idid, consider what your support could mean to him.
There is something rather poignant about a man approaching his late eighties, looking back at a lifetime of service and asking his friends to help bring his story to readers.
He is not asking for a government grant, a Datukship upgrade or another public appointment. He is asking for people who know him to help sell his book.
I have written many books and thousands of columns, but this particular project has a personal dimension. I want the story told, I want it read, and I would like to see Syed Ahmad Idid achieve his target while he is still here to enjoy the satisfaction.
We often say we should support local writers, preserve our history and stand up for people who have the courage to speak their minds. These are admirable sentiments. But sentiments are rather inexpensive. It is when we put our money where our mouths are that they begin to mean something.
So, if you are a former colleague, a friend from the old days, a member of the legal fraternity, a fellow public servant or simply someone who believes that history should not be forgotten, here is your chance.
Become one of the 100 ambassadors. The first 1,000 copies are the target. December 2026 is the publication date. At RM100 a copy, 10 books will cost RM1,000.
Let us not wait until someone writes another book about how we failed to support a friend when we had the opportunity.
After all, some judgments are delivered in court. Others are delivered by friends.
This time, let us make sure it is a favourable one.
Write to us at mihardias@gmail.com; we’ll let you know how to collect your copies.
WE